Black Loafer Recommendations
Looking for black loafers. I’ve already got a pair of C&J Bostons in chestnut brown. Saw the post yesterday but different budget range.
Looking for something versatile. Plain? Tassles? Horsebit?
Budget: < £500 the cheaper the better.
Location: UK
Thinking if I should save some money and get meermins instead
https://www.crockettandjones.com/collections/mens-loafers-collection/products/boston-black-cavalry-calf
https://eu.meermin.com/collections/mens-loafers/products/114414-black-calf-e
Crockett & Jones UK
Boston Black Cavalry Calf
Boston, a classic penny loafer made from the finest black cavalry calf leather with a single leather sole. From the Men's Main Collection.
Meermin Shoes
114414 - BLACK CALF - E
Introducing a new version to the lineup of our all time bestsellers: The Unlined Penny Loafer, our very own take on the classic penny loafer, revisited & updated to be more comfortable than ever. Featuring a glove-like fit, fully unstructured & unlined upper construction, allowing for greater breathability and
57 Replies
What sort of outfits are you wanting to wear them with?
Ivy/prep kinda stuff.
Light wash jeans, pleated trousers, maybe shorts
Blazer, ocbd, dress shirt on tops
I'll upload some inspo stuff later
Ok, I'd lean away from the Meermin idea then, their last is pretty sleek and not as good for casual wear, more at home with a suit
I know everyone says ebay but check out ebay... there are often black calf aldens (tassels or full strap more often than lhs tho) on there and if you like them a bit beat up you can get em for sub 200usd sometimes
Penny vs tassel vs bit... I think all three can be done in both more casual and more dressed up outfits. Choosing between them is mostly just personal preference. Although, I think if you do want to wear them with shorts, penny is better than tassel or bit. There might be people here who would wear tassels or bits with shorts but it's a bit of a bolder move than penny loafers with shorts
For Ivy/prep kinda stuff, Alden LHS is the king of penny loafers, and as Wonky says you can get them used in your price range. Alden 981 is the LHS in black calf and Alden 987 is the LHS in black shell. I'd try to find the shell if you can, it can look amazing in casual outfits
If you'd prefer to buy new, Grant Stone Traveler Loafer is pretty well liked and the Allen Edmonds Cavanaugh is their version of the LHS. Both should be in your price range
I might also suggest the black calf Paraboot Reims if it’s mostly going to be casual outfits
Alden LHS and GS traveler are good pics that is second. Rancourt (better) and GH bass (worse) also make pretty good loafers and beefrolls especially, which is fairly classic Ivy.
Meermin is sleek, but it’s wearable depending on your vibe. Could also look at yanko/skolyx I’d tryna save money, or TLB Mallorca and Lof & Tung for slightly more upscale and still sleek.
I’d avoid bit loafers, personally. I think tassels are awesome but Pennie’s are far more versatile. I’ve worn a different pair of Grant Stone loafers every day this entire summer, so certainly recommend.
I'd see if you can figure out your size and then look for a pair of JM Weston 180 mocs on eBay. Those are still on my list tbh
With a budget of ~500 I think you'll have luck finding a pair
More or less the look I'm aiming for
I'll look into alden but seems like not much stockists in the UK
Any uk brands that you guys would suggest?
Alden is huge on resale / secondhand markets, you should be able to find them on vinted, ebay, Poshmark, etc. Check out alden model project too
Nice black loafer inspo though, you should post in #inspiration
Thanks I'll have a look. Any from Crockett Jones that you'd suggest?
Will do
Boston loafer or Harvard loafer are great
Neat. Just had a look at alden now on ebay but only 5 UK based sellers lol. Not keeping my hopes up. Not keen on shipping from abroad as well
If you arent in a rush id keep tabs on ebay aldens come up all the time
Do they in the UK? C&J is solid imo if not exactly like LHS or Alden tassels
I cant speak for uk since i’m us based so results may very i suppose. C&J is probably a better bet now that i think about and you’ll get comparable quality to alden
Could go carmina too. I’ve liked them more than C&J in all of my experiences tbh
Also it was mentioned above but Bass are pretty decent for the price point especially if you snag a used cheap pair on ebay. Could be worth snagging a pair to see how you like loafers and upgrade later. I got a pair of tassel kilties for like $30 usd on ebay and they are great
Over meermin?
Bass weejuns are quite easy to buy now but I dunno how they are quality wise. I'm well into loafers though I've got the brown one of the Boston c&j lol
Meermin is fine, it’s just unimpressive.
Mind you, not every shoe needs to be some $700 artisanal thing. Meermins are still better than most footwear
But yeah, I prefer carmina over most UK brands tbh
Yeah that's why I was thinking of saving some money and thought about the meermins lol. But I'm open to any other affordable brands
I've just had good experience with C&J so they were the first ones I thought of
Def keeps cost low, and depends on what you want / how much you care
Like I’d cop a green unlined loafer from Meermin still, but if I were gonna get a shell loafer I’d go for Alden
If you wanna keep low cost, blkbrd and Bridlen are good in that bracket
As well as C&J that others have suggested, look at Loake, Grenson, Church's, Barker. All traditional Northhampton shoe brands that have been making leather footwear in England for 100+ years
I got some of the Loake original loafers (kiltie tassel ones) recently and I'm really happy with them
Cheaney, Trickers, Edward Green (2nd hand) are some others although probably at the higher end of your budget
I wanna second the jm weston 180 rec if you're in the uk, they might be easier to track down than aldens. I was in London & Paris recently and obv in Paris I saw a ton of 180s around on old guys in navy blazers haha. I got a pair of reims in Paris (half sizes!!) and imo they rule but they definitely have a chunky vibe. If you do look at aldens on ebay consider keeping an eye out for shell cordovan colour no. 8 ones if you like ivy/prep - imo they can fill the same niche as a black loafer (but maybe others will disagree?) and they look so cool when they're really old/fucked up imo.
I tried on some weejuns in my loafer search and they were the most uncomfortable shoes I've put on my feet in a long time ☠️
Ive got some solovairs coming my way
I don’t have much to add because most of it’s been covered, but you could also look at loake, morjas, and Horatio. No personal experience with the brands but they are all UK/EU based.
Imo, Alden is the goat when it comes to ivy style loafers and tassels with C&J second (c&j made Polo’s tassels for a number of years). There are a good Aldens on eBay for 100-300 depending on the leather. I’d also say that shell cordovan is the best leather for more casual use. Calf is fine but shell has just the right amount of shine to fit in more casual fits.
Oof. Just out of my price range. I'll keep an eye out of eBay tho
Yeah wish alden were more accessible here. Sadly C&J cordovan loafers only come in the dark brown
Yeah it would def have to be secondhand for the 180s they're super $$$$
There are some Uk/EU retailers. I’m pretty sure drakes and clutch stock them as well as some other smaller retailers.
These are the C&J cavendish (calf tassel loafer) , apologies not the greatest pic , they’re dressy but they drop well with light wash denim and workwear chinos and wider shorts. Behind me in the pic are the Aldens which Drakes and Aldens sell (UK) BUT they £800 + whereas C&J are £540 but I asked for discount , they knocked 10% off.
Sorry meant Drakes and Trunk Clothiers
You just asked for a discount?
Damn gotta do that more often
They look really nice on you tho 👌🏻👌🏻
800... pounds??? were they cordovan?
Not the NFT inspo 😭
What's the nft inspo lol
omg are the ivy boys nfts? lmao
Wait they turned these into nfts?
Yeah the artist did
OpenSea
BBRC - IVY BOYS - Collection | OpenSea
IVY BOYS by Aaron Chang is the genesis project of BBRC Studios and the first of many creator collaborations. Our collection consists of 7,777 utility-enabled collectibles that feature a diversity of Ivy League and sartorial inspired traits. IVY BOYS holders will receive membership access to exclusive drops, merch collaborations, and activated ex...
They also include VAT in the UK
Between VAT, import costs, etc, 800 for an alden loafer isn't absurd, though it does seem high.
I usually ask (im shameless) but it works in the UK
At that price, I would just look for a JM Weston 180 if I’m in the UK
Yes
I’m trying to break my loafers in , right heel is butchered atm , any tips to expedite the process, I know they will break in as I’ve done it several times , but as I get older not sure I have it in me to suffer
Sure you have the proper size?
Past that, just wear them around the house more before going out. Not really a way to speed things up tbh
What about some Sebago loafers?
does anyone know what sizing on aldens is, should i go with brannock sizing?
ur godsend
Cheaney are a solid option if in UK. Nicer than Loake or Grenson. Stuff like Bass weejuns are not at the same quality level at all. Another place to check out in UK is Herring shoes who have an extensive selection of loafers.
Thank you!
Take that with a huge grain of salt because it really depends on your size/instep. Aberdeen is a weird last and a lot of people have trouble with it.
There’s also a decent difference between van and barrie last - most size down .5 from van for barrie.